Monthly Archives: January 2025
Blacktip Island Weather
Wahoo Reef weather station
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Temperature: 79
Humidity: 61%
Precipitation: Not happening
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Blacktip Island To Celebrate Mosquito Day Saturday
Blacktip Island residents will embrace their native mosquitos Saturday at the Caribbean island’s inaugural Mosquito Days festival. (photo courtesy of Muhammed Mahdi Karim)
Blacktip Island officials announced this week the inaugural Blacktip Mosquito Day festival will begin at dawn Saturday to celebrate the insects’ prominent place in the small Caribbean community.
“With the rainy season on us, and the mosquito population booming, we decided if we can’t beat ‘em, we might as well celebrate ‘em,” de facto island mayor Jack Cobia said. “They’re an integral part of life here, after all, no matter how bothersome they are. There’s a few residents I could say the same about, frankly.
“The idea’s to make the best of things and keep everyone’s spirits up,” Cobia said. “We’re trying to promote mosquito awareness in a good way. Getting people using bug spray and wearing long sleeves. Best way to do that’s to get ‘em good and welted up all over.”
Many locals were looking forward to the festivities.
“The mosquito gathering contest’ll be the highlight for me,” Catalina Luxfer said. “There’s prizes for the most caught and the biggest, and I’m prepped for both. “There’s mozzies on this island the size of your thumb. And they’ll carry you back in the bush where the big ones can get you.”
Health officials, however, questioned the event’s appropriateness.
“This is the height of insanity,” island nurse Marissa Graysby said. “With the cases of dengue and zika viruses in the region, it creates a potential public health disaster. We tried to shut the festival down, but word spread too quickly and now all the island’s looking forward to it.
“One of the worst things people can do in the tropics is get mosquito bit,” Graysby said. “What the hell are Jack and them thinking? They’ve heard of malaria, right? And I’m down to one tube of hydrocortisone.”
Local environmentalists embraced the festival.
“These creatures are apex parasites, and should be admired,” island ecologist Lefty Wright said. “They’re absolutely magnificent. How could anyone think of wanting to kill them. It’s right that the island’s population will embrace them.
“And as for worries about disease control, there’ll be free insect repellent, and DEET spraying from the misters the resorts use to keep guests cool,” Wright said. “You’ll have to make sure you cover your drink. And any food you have. But if no one gets bit, you can’t argue with success.”
The festival will also feature a mosquito costume contest, a naked ‘running of the ‘skeeters’ past the island’s main resorts, mosquito-themed food and drink, plus music by local bands Effing Zeagles, The Social Morays and Gaslighting Shitweasels.
“We expect folks to continue drinking on into the night,” Cobia said. “Mainly to dull the pain of itching.”
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Blacktip Island Weather
Wahoo Reef weather station
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Temperature: 81
Humidity: 63%
Precipitation: 50/50
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Blacktip Island Weather
Wahoo Reef weather station
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Temperature: 78
Humidity: 61%
Precipitation: On its way
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Blacktip Island Weather
Wahoo Reef weather station
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Temperature: 80
Humidity: 62%
Precipitation: In your dreams
Filed under best scuba diving novels, Caribbean, Scuba Diving
Blacktip Island Woman Assaults Husband Over Holiday Gifts
A Blacktip Island woman was arrested Sunday after physically attacking her husband when he gave her five iguanas instead of five golden rings on the fifth day of Christmas. (photo illustration by Wendy Beaufort / BTT staff)
A Blacktip Island woman was arrested Sunday on assault charges after she beat her husband for not giving her five gold rings on December 29, the fifth day of Christmas.
“I responded to a domestic violence report at a residence south of Eagle Ray Cove,” Island Police Constable Rafe Marquette said. “Upon arrival, I found a woman beating a man about the head and shoulders with a distressed iguana. After separating the two people and freeing the iguana, I jailed her on charges of assault and animal cruelty. She has since posted bond and been released.”
The woman, longtime Blacktip resident Lucille Ray, defended her actions.
“Giving me a dump chicken on Day One was bad enough,” she said. “But it got worse from there—two booby birds, three land crabs, then four zenaida doves. It was worth it, though, ‘cause I knew those rings were next. And what did he do? Give me five nasty-ass iguanas. Damn right I walloped him with one.
“What am I supposed to do with zenaida doves and a bunch of mini dinosaurs?” she said. “Can’t put either on my finger. Billy, he set high expectations, then crashed ‘em down on me. Cheap is what he is. He’s lucky he didn’t get worse.”
Her husband, Billy Ray, claimed there was a misunderstanding.
“I figured I’d do something different, give her thoughtful gifts I worked to get rather than just buying something,” he said. “I used the 12 Days of Christmas song as a rough guide, but never led on that I’d be giving anything from the actual song. I thought everything was going swimmingly, then she started whacking me with a pissed-off lizard.
“Took a lot of work to get those gifts,” Ray said. “You ever try to catch boobies? And those iguanas bite. I got scars from all that. The least Lucille could do is be appreciative. Instead, she’s hired herself a lawyer.”
The attorney retained by Lucille Ray said civil charges will be filed.
“It’s breach of contract, pure and simple,” Ferris Skerritt said. “A social contract, to be sure, but still a contract. The implication of Mr. Ray basing his gifts on a well-known carol created the expectation of more valuable gifts in the future. Mrs. Ray was totally within her rights to interact with Mr. Ray in the manner she did.”
Island People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals condemned the gifts and the assault.
“It’s a horrific idea, catching wild animals to give as gifts,” PETA president Harry Pickett said. “Nothing short of animal cruelty, really, and we’ll be filing criminal complaints to that affect. But the use of a local rock iguana as an offensive weapon goes beyond the pale. Someone who would use an iguana in that fashion could well use a human as a weapon, too.”
The Tiperon assizes courts will hear the criminal and civil cases in early February.
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The Blacktip Times 